Historical Fiction - England and Wales

Our medieval historical fiction book summaries are loosely organized
chronologically, though we've grouped books by the same author.
Each author is unique in his or her perspective on the culture
and events taking place in England and Wales from ancient
times through the period of the Crusades.

Historical
fiction author Bernard Cornwell takes us to mesolithic
Britain and speculates on the construction of the great
temple of Stonehenge in this epic story of three brothers
competing for leadership within their tribe. Compelling
speculative fiction based on a time of myth and fascination.

Set
in the 14th century during the Hundred Years' War,
young archer Thomas of Hookton serves his king and searches
for the Holy Grail and his family's mysterious link
to this relic. We follow both his wartime adventures
and his Grail quest in this outstanding series.

The
Archer's Tale, Book 1, - "A brutal raid on
the quiet coastal English village of Hookton in 1342
leaves but one survivor: a young archer named Thomas.
On this terrible dawn, his purpose becomes clear: to
recover a stolen sacred relic and pursue to the ends
of the earth the murderous black-clad knight bearing
a blue-and-yellow standard -- a journey that leads to
the courageous rescue of a beautiful French woman, and
sets him on his ultimate quest: the search for the Holy
Grail."

Vagabond, Book 2 - Still nursing his wounds from
the Battle of Crecy, Thomas is sent by the king to look
into the matter of his father's inheritance, which is
obscurely connected to the Holy Grail. But others are
on the trail as well. Thomas discovers more about his
father, and his cousin and arch-enemy, Count of Astarc
Guy Vexville - the Black Knight.

Heretic,
Book 3 - while pursuing the Black Knight (suspected
of being his father's killer and of having the Grail),
Thomas saves a young woman named Genevieve about to
be burned as a heretic. On the run, they learn of a
diabolical plot to counterfeit the Grail for unholy
purposes - the action and romance continue unabated
to a rousing conclusion.

This is book five in Colleen McCullough's massively satisfying
historical fiction series on ancient Rome. We've included
this volume because it deals with the time period 54-48
BC, Caesar's "mopping up" of resistance in
Britain and his defeat of the Gauls under Vercingetorix.
Lengthy, richly detailed, her series focuses on the
Roman political intrigues, taking us through to Julius
Caesar's crossing of the Rubicon.

Tracing
the history of London from Roman times all the way to
the Blitz in World War II, Rutherfurd's novel is one
of those massive tellings of numerous vignettes where
characters seamlessly flow one into the other, leaving
no memory behind (a la James Michener), but yet tells
a magnificent story of one of the great cities of the
world.

His
other three millennium-spanning historical novels are
Sarum: The Novel of England (10,000 years on the Salisbury
Plains, including Stone Henge and Salisbury Cathedral),
The
Forest (traces upteen generations through their
lives in the New Forest near present-day Bath), and
The Princes of Ireland : The Dublin Saga.

Acclaimed
spy thriller author Follett has created an epic masterpiece
in this 12th century tale entwining the lives, loves,
struggles and betrayals of characters involved in building
that great monument to God and medieval faith, a magnificent
cathedral. Set in the anarchy of Stephen's reign, this
is the book Follett was meant to write.

Sharon Kay Penman is perhaps the best medieval historical fiction
writer now working. We first fell in love with her writing
years ago, with her wonderful book on Richard III, The
Sunne in Splendour.

When
Christ and His Saints Slept is the first novel in
a projected trilogy about Henry II and that most fascinating
of powerful women, Eleanor of Aquitaine. This first
volume begins with the death of Henry I in 1135 AD -
leaving the kingdom to his daughter Maude - but cousin
Stephen beats her to it and civil war results. The sequel
is Time and Chance.

Penman
has also written a terrific Welsh Trilogy set
in the 13th century and revolving around the conflicts
between King John (never a good guy) and Llewelyn, Prince
of North Wales, who seeks to unite his country. All
three of the books may be read separately and are well
worth it:

Book 1 in the Welsh Trilogy: Here Be Dragons (Llewelyn versus and King John)
Book 2 in the Welsh Trilogy: Falls the Shadow (Simon de Montfort versus King Henry III)
Book 3 in the Welsh Trilogy: The Reckoning Llewelyn ab Gruffydd, Prince of Wales
versus Edward I (he who wanted Scotland also, but ran
into Wallace).

We were absolutely delighted to see that Anya's Seton classic historical romance, Katherine, has
been re-released in a new edition. It's one of our favorite books, and we could not recommend it more highly.

From the book's description: "This classic romance novel tells the true story of the love affair
that changed history—that of Katherine Swynford and John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, the
ancestors of most of the British royal family. Set in the vibrant 14th century of Chaucer and
the Black Death, the story features knights fighting in battle, serfs struggling in poverty,
and the magnificent Plantagenets—Edward III, the Black Prince, and Richard II—who ruled
despotically over a court rotten with intrigue. Within this era of danger and romance,
John of Gaunt, the king’s son, falls passionately in love with the already married Katherine.
Their well-documented affair and love persist through decades of war, adultery, murder,
loneliness, and redemption. This epic novel of conflict, cruelty, and untamable love has
become a classic since its first publication in 1954." Best of all, this is a true story -
don't pass it by.

Young
Alix, a girl with a grievance, must plead her cause
before the king, Richard III, who is in France preparing
to go on crusade. Alix cuts her hair and does the "boy"
thing, running off to catch him before he leaves - naturally
she ends up going to the Holy Land. The sequel, Banners
of Gold, continues with Alix as a young woman seeking
her husband. Very enthusiastic reviews.

The
Brothers of Gwynedd: Comprising, Sunrise in the West,
the Dragon at Noonday, the Hounds of Sunset, Afterglow
and Nightfall
by Edith Pargeter

Four novels in one volume by Edith Pargeter (aka Ellis Peters
of Cadfael fame). Brothers
tangle in 13th century Wales - each seeking power for
himself through various machinations, including flirting
with England's Henry III. Eventually, Llewelyn emerges
in triumph as Prince of Wales. A great story of the
Welsh people and their quest for national unity.

Baer
published this first novel at age 82 - wow! Unlike conventional
novels, Down the Common, subtitled A Year
in the Life of a Medieval Woman, doesn't provide
a strong plot or focus on famous characters. Rather,
it tells the simple story of Marion, her husband Peter
Carpenter, their children and the other villagers -
daily activities, illness and death, worries and small
triumphs, sorrows and celebrations. Non-specific to
any particular year or century, this is a wonderful
and realistic glimpse into how common lives were led
during the middle ages.

Willis
is an award-winning science fiction writer, with several
novels dove-tailed into a scenario in which future historians
time-travel to complete their PhDs.

In
this lengthy novel, a young woman is sent to 14th century
England - but unfortunately not in the year planned.
Instead, she ends up at a rural manor to which visitors
bring the plague. She is immune, and the local uneducated
priest, who witnessed her arrival, assumes her to be
the incarnation of St. Katherine sent to their aid.
Together, they nurse and care for those stricken with
the deadly disease.

A
powerful novel of courage, faith and suffering,
Domesday
Book is an absolute masterpiece and may stand as Willis'
magnum opus. Heart-breaking, gut-wrenching, unforgettable.

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